Update on Our Brothers and Sisters in Afghanistan
Please continue to pray for the people of Afghanistan. So far, our teams have successfully helped to relocate more than 6,500 people looking for refuge from the Taliban. We have had leaders and church members martyred for their faith in Christ. Others have been kidnapped or are missing. Continue to pray for protection for those in the country, while also asking the Lord for open doors to share the gospel with all those who need to hear. Acts 5: 38–42.
Church Planters Facing Severe Persecution in Asia and Africa
The Timothy Initiative, one of our church planting partners, has shared the following prayer requests from leaders in the field. The first three are from security-sensitive areas. Hebrews 13: 3.
- “Two people in a nearby village have accepted the Lord. Now their community is protesting. They have called a village council meeting to charge these new believers for breaking anti-conversion mandates.” — From Asia
- “Pray for the safety of one of our church planters who was recently kidnapped for ransom. His family is still raising the funds for his release. Pray for God’s providence and the man’s safe release.” — From East Africa
- “Friends, please uphold this church planter in your valuable prayers. Radicals are after him, and they filed an anti-conversion complaint against him. Monday, he is meeting with the police. Requesting God’s favor and protection for him and his church members.” — From Asia
- “Pray for our church planters in Nigeria who are susceptible to severe persecution.”
More Illustrations of Who Is a “Person of Peace”
Here’s a short, follow-up video with more details and examples regarding “persons of peace”—who are crucial to planting churches in unreached communities. Matthew 10: 11–14.
Translating and Sharing the Gospel with the Deaf Around the World
DOOR International has asked that we pray for the people, and the work, of the “CEDAR” program, which provides training for deaf leaders to become sign language translation consultants all over the world. Pray also for more and more deaf-led churches, and for unreached deaf people to see and receive the recently completed video recordings of “Chronological Bible Translations” (CBT) of 119 Bible passages in American Sign Language. Romans 10: 14–15.
New Generations’ Intercessory Example and Scriptural Prayers
Here are the last four of the 10 key scriptural points and instructions, followed by one of our partnership prayer teams of more than 10,000 intercessors in West Africa.
- Pray for an increase in signs and wonders to advance the gospel. “Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:30. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. 2 Corinthians 2: 4–5.
- Pray for protection and provision for workers in the field. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16. “Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one. . . My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. John 17:11, 15.
- Pray for rapid multiplication of the work that results in movements. “So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased. Acts 6:7. “…Brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” 2 Thessalonians 3: 1.
- Pray for other movements of the gospel and Christian disciple-makers around the world. “We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:2–3.
